Leaving China For The Summer

Last week was a flurry of activity. It always is when prepare to come back to the States. There is always so much that needs to be done – packing, cleaning, finishing grades, saying goodbye to students and friends, etc. It was also more challenging because some unexpected things happened. One week before I left, an administrator for the study abroad program called me and told me that there would be training for teachers on Monday and Tuesday. I told him that I might not be able to go because I had to prepare for going home. I was also a little annoyed. I hate when they give me so little notice for things like this. Their level of organization leaves so much to be desired. I ended up going on Monday and not going on Tuesday.

Tuesday and Wednesday were crazy. I had about 40 phone calls from people asking me if I could do dinner before I left. I had to tell them all no, and they all seemed so sad. Everyone wanted to say goodbye. They acted as if I were leaving forever and not just going home for a few months.

Wednesday night I also had a surprise party. All 20 of the students that I teach in the study abroad program, 2 of the teachers, and 3 other workers invaded my apartment with food and cake. It was so much fun. We talked, laughed, took pictures, and ate cake and dumplings. There was also a cake fight. Here are some pictures from that.


The Cake

Diggin' in!

After the Cake Fight

Some of the girls ran into my kitchen to escape the cake fight.

Everyone


Thursday, I left to go to Shanghai. I stayed over night there and spent some time with a few close friends. Friday I went to the airport. I was dreading the flight. 13 hours in a plane is torture for someone like me. I am too active. I can sit still for a movie, but after that I have to run around a little. I survived the flight though. I met my parents at the airport in Chicago. It was so good to see them again. We had dinner with my sister before heading back home.

Then I began the long road to recovery from some very ugly jet lag.
It’s so good to be home!

I look back on this school year with fondness as always. It was a year of unprecedented highs and devastating lows. Through it all though, I know that God is in charge and has a plan, and that His plans are so much better than my own. Resting in that is becoming easier than worrying about outcomes that cannot be changed. Faith and Trust – hard lessons to learn, but so worth the work.

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
-George Eliot (pseudonym of Mary Ann Evans Cross)

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